Method and apparatus for material processing

Abstract

An apparatus processes a surface of an inhabitable structure. The apparatus includes a laser base unit which irradiates an interaction region with laser light, the laser light removing material from the structure. The laser base unit includes a laser generator and a laser head coupled to the laser generator. The laser head includes a containment plenum which confines and removes material from the interaction region. The containment plenum includes a rubber seal which contacts the structure and which substantially surrounds the interaction region, thereby facilitating confinement and removal of material from the interaction region, and providing reduced disruption to activities within the structure. The apparatus further includes an anchoring mechanism releasably coupled to the structure and releasably coupled to the laser head. The apparatus further includes a controller electrically coupled to the laser base unit. The controller transmits control signals to the laser base unit in response to user input.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for processing a surface of an inhabitable structure, the apparatus comprising:
 a laser base unit which irradiates an interaction region of the surface with laser light, the laser light removing material from the structure, the laser base unit comprising a laser generator and a laser head coupled to the laser generator, the laser head comprising a containment plenum which confines and removes material from the interaction region, the containment plenum comprising a rubber seal which contacts the structure and which substantially surrounds the interaction region, thereby facilitating confinement and removal of material from the interaction region and providing reduced disruption to activities within the structure; 
 an anchoring mechanism releasably coupled to the structure and releasably coupled to the laser head; and 
 a controller electrically coupled to the laser base unit, the controller transmitting control signals to the laser base unit in response to user input. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser head is releasably coupled to the laser generator and the controller is releasably coupled to the laser base unit, whereby the apparatus can be reversibly assembled and disassembled to facilitate transportation of the apparatus to locations in proximity to or within the structure. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser generator comprises an arc-lamp-pumped Nd:YAG laser. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser generator comprises a fiber laser. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser head comprises laser optical elements adapted to receive laser light from the laser generator and to direct the laser light to the interaction region. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser head comprises a ytterbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Yb: YAG) fiber laser. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the containment plenum is further adapted to reduce noise and light emitted out of the containment plenum from the interaction region. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the containment plenum comprises an extraction port which provides a pathway for removal of the material from the containment plenum. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser head comprises a disk laser. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the the laser head comprises one or more sensors which senses one or more of the following: whether the laser head is in contact with a surface of the inhabitable structure, whether the laser head is coupled to the anchoring mechanism, and whether the laser generator is on or starting. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the laser head comprises a nozzle fluidly coupled to a compressed gas supply, the nozzle adapted to direct a compressed gas stream to the interaction region. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises one or more resilient vacuum pads coupled to at least one vacuum generator. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a detector coupled to the controller and adapted to detect embedded material in the structure while processing the structure, and to transmit detection signals to the controller, the controller adapted to avoid substantially damaging the embedded material by transmitting appropriate control signals to the laser base unit. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the detector is adapted to detect embedded material by using light emitted by the interaction region during processing. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring mechanism is releasably coupled to a surface within the inhabitable structure. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anchoring mechanism is releasably coupled to the surface being irradiated by the laser head. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface being irradiated is within the inhabitable structure. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for processing a surface of an inhabitable structure with reduced disruption to activities within the structure, the apparatus comprising:
 means for generating laser light; 
 means for providing the laser light to an interaction region of the structure to remove material from the structure; 
 means for confining the material and removing the material from the interaction region, said confining means comprising a rubber seal which substantially surrounds the interaction region; 
 means for anchoring said apparatus, said anchoring means being releasably coupled to the structure and releasably coupled to said means for providing the laser light; and 
 means for controlling the laser light in response to user input. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for generating laser light comprises an arc-lamp-pumped Nd:YAG laser. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for generating laser light comprises a fiber laser. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for providing the laser light to the interaction region comprises laser optical elements adapted to receive laser light from said means for generating laser light and to direct said laser light to the interaction region. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for providing the laser light to the interaction region comprises a ytterbium: ytterium-aluminum-garnet (Yb: YAG) fiber laser. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for anchoring said apparatus comprises one or more resilient vacuum pads coupled to at least one vacuum generator. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for anchoring said apparatus is releasably coupled to a surface within the inhabitable structure. 
     
     
       25. A method of processing a surface of an inhabitable structure with reduced disruption to activities within the structure, the method comprising:
 remotely generating laser light; 
 providing the laser light to the surface, the laser light interacting with the structure in an interaction region to remove material from the structure; 
 confining the material and removing the material from the interaction region, the material confined by a rubber seal which substantially surrounds the interaction region; 
 releasably coupling an anchoring mechanism to the structure and to the apparatus providing the laser light to the surface; and 
 controlling the laser light in response to user input.